WEBVTT
RAGE
DAVID: YOU COULD SAY IT TAKES
MORE THAN ONE MAINER ABOUT AN
HOUR TO MAKE JUST ONE PAIR OF A
CLASSIC L.L. BEAN BOOTS.
>> WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
ANYBODY THAT WOULD BENEFITROM
HAVING ONE OF THESE REALLY COOL,
COMFORTABLE, FUNCTIONAL PRODUCTS
IS ABLE TO GET ONE.
DAVID: BY THE TIME THESE PRIZED
SOLES ROLL OFF THE LINE, MORE
THAN 40 HANDS HAVE STITCHED,
RIVETED, MOLDED, AND LACED.
IT ALL HAPPENS IN THIS FALITY
IN BRUNSWICK.
THEY PUMP OUT UP TO 3,0 BOOTS
A DA
NOT ENOUGH T FILL A CRAZE LAST
YEAR, WHEN THE BEAN BOOT BECAME
A HOLIDAY SENSATIO
>> QUITE HONESTLY, I THINK WE
WERE A LITTLE BIT TN BY
SURPRISE.
DAVID: A SURPRISE A CENTURY IN
THE MAKING.
L.L. BEAN HAS BE SELLING ITS
CLASSIC BOOT SINCE 1912.
THIS AD IN THE 1930'
PROCLAIMING, OUTSIDE OF YOUR
GUN, NOTHING IS IMPORTANT TO
YOUR OUTFIT ASOUR FOOTWEAR
TODAY THERE ARE ABOUT A DOZEN
STYLES IN A HANDFUL OF COLORS
AND L.L. BEAN HOPES YOU'LL BE
ABLE TO GET YOUR HANDS ON THEM.
HIGH DEMAND LAST YEAR DE BEAN
BOOTS HARD TO FIND.
SO L.L. BEAN IS BEING PROACTIVE
THIS YEAR.
THEY'VE BROUGHT IN 40 MO
PEOPLE TO THIS FACILITY, AND
THEY PLAN TO SELL 600,000 BEAN
BOOTS FOR THE YEAR.
>> YOU SORT OF REALIZE, MY MOM
HAD THE BOOT, AND NOW IS COOL
AGAIN.
DAVID: SARAH GERRISH IS REDBOOK
MAGAZINE'S FASHION MARKET
DIRECTOR.
>> ULTIMATELY, IT'S A AT BOOT
BECAUSE OF WHAT IT DOES.
IT KEEPS YOU WARM.
AND IT'S ALSO REALLY CUTE.
DAVID: SHE ALSO SAYS WHAT DRAWS
CUSTOMERS IN IS THE FACT THEY'
MADE RIGHT HERE IN AMERICA.
BUT THEY DON'T ALL STAY HERE.
>> MY DAUGHTER'S IN COLLEGE, AND
THEY KEEP ASKING HER, CAYOUR
DAD GET US A DISCOUNT?
CAN YOUR DAD GET US A DISCOUNT?
SO IT REALLY IS AMAZING HOW
POPULAR THEY ARE.
DAVID: SO POPULAR THAT L.L. BEAN
WANTS TO STAY AHEAD OF THE NEXT
CHRISTMAS CRAZE, HOPINGO PUMP
OUT 1 MILLION BOOTS PER YEAR.
THEY'RE INVESTING IN PEE AND
TECHNOLOGY
>> THERE'S A SIGNICANT SENSE
OF PRIDE ASSOATED WITH
ACTUALLY MAKING SOMETHING HERE
IN MAINE WITH MAINE EMPLOYEES
AND PRODUCING SOMETHING THAT
CUSTOMERS LOVE.
A LOVE THAT'S SPREAD OUIDE
THESE WALLS IN MAINE TO FEET

It takes more than 40 Mainers about an hour to rivet, stitch and mold a prized pair of L.L. Bean Boots -- that’s if you can get your hands on them.
Last year, Bean Boots became so popular that they were hard to find on store shelves.
"Quite honestly, I think we were a lit bit taken by surprise,” L.L. Bean’s director of manufacturing, Donna Lamberth, said.
It is a surprise a century in the making.
L.L. Bean has been making its classic boot since 1912.
An advertisement from the 1930s proclaimed: “Outside of your gun, nothing is so important to your outfit as your footwear.” Back then, a pair of boots cost $3.50.
Today, dozens of styles in several colors are made at a facility in Brunswick, and L.L. Bean hopes customers can get their hands on them.
"We want to make sure that anybody that would benefit from having one of these really cool, comfortable, functional products is able to get one,” Lamberth said.
The company is being proactive this year as the boots continue to be a fashion statement. It plans to sell 600,000 pairs this year.
The goal: Produce 1 million pairs.
"You sort of realize, 'My mom had the boot and now it's cool again,'” Redbook magazine’s fashion market director said. "Ultimately, it's a great boot because of what it does. It keeps you warm. And it's also really cute."
What is also attractive, according to Gerrish, is that the boots are American made.They all don’t all stay here, though. They’re shipped as far away as China.
"My daughter's in college and they keep asking her, 'Can your dad get us a discount? Can your dad get us a discount?' So it really is amazing how popular they are,’” employee Keith Quirion said.
"There's a significant sense of pride associated with actually making something here in Maine with Maine employees and producing something that customers love,” Lamberth said.

BRUNSWICK, Maine —

It takes more than 40 Mainers about an hour to rivet, stitch and mold a prized pair of L.L. Bean Boots -- that’s if you can get your hands on them.

Last year, Bean Boots became so popular that they were hard to find on store shelves.

"Quite honestly, I think we were a lit bit taken by surprise,” L.L. Bean’s director of manufacturing, Donna Lamberth, said.

It is a surprise a century in the making.

L.L. Bean has been making its classic boot since 1912.

An advertisement from the 1930s proclaimed: “Outside of your gun, nothing is so important to your outfit as your footwear.” Back then, a pair of boots cost $3.50.

Today, dozens of styles in several colors are made at a facility in Brunswick, and L.L. Bean hopes customers can get their hands on them.

"We want to make sure that anybody that would benefit from having one of these really cool, comfortable, functional products is able to get one,” Lamberth said.

The company is being proactive this year as the boots continue to be a fashion statement. It plans to sell 600,000 pairs this year.

The goal: Produce 1 million pairs.

"You sort of realize, 'My mom had the boot and now it's cool again,'” Redbook magazine’s fashion market director said. "Ultimately, it's a great boot because of what it does. It keeps you warm. And it's also really cute."

What is also attractive, according to Gerrish, is that the boots are American made.They all don’t all stay here, though. They’re shipped as far away as China.

"My daughter's in college and they keep asking her, 'Can your dad get us a discount? Can your dad get us a discount?' So it really is amazing how popular they are,’” employee Keith Quirion said.

"There's a significant sense of pride associated with actually making something here in Maine with Maine employees and producing something that customers love,” Lamberth said.